HUD change allows help to finally arrive

Published: Tuesday, January 15, 2002 at 6:01 a.m.

Last Modified: Monday, January 14, 2002 at 11:00 p.m.

The Houma-Terrebonne Housing Authority has been plagued with problems for some time now.

In the past couple of years, the agency has faced allegations of mismanagement, replaced its executive director, lost its assistant executive director and has completely changed its board member lineup. The management issues centered around a lack of financial controls, misuse of public property, lack of administration of employee benefits and other such issues.

The agency has, for months now, sought management assistance from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. It couldn't make headway because the agency scored well on its assessments, which -- given the problems illustrated publicly -- hinted at problems, if in no other manner than judgment, further up the HUD food chain. New, much lower scores were received in December - and those, coupled with documentation of problems in need of correction, helped make the case for intervention.

Persistence seems to have paid off. The Houma agency is being referred to the department's Troubled Agency Recovery Center that provides legal, financial and technical assistance to problem agencies.

And although it's been a long time coming, this assistance is heartily welcome. The local commission oversees the 300-unit Bayou Towers apartment building for the elderly and handicapped and the 300-unit Senator Circle housing development for low-income families. It could, in the future, impact more residents' lives since legislation last year gave the commission parish-wide jurisdiction, paving the way for it to establish housing facilities outside the city limits. But before that jurisdiction is utilized, the agency must get its house in order.

Keeping the public abreast of improvements in management of the two housing projects and agency operations would help the agency re-establish credibility in the public's eyes - something needed before any further services are funded with taxpayer dollars and offered to the public.

<p>The Houma-Terrebonne Housing Authority has been plagued with problems for some time now.</p><!-- Nothing to do. The paragraph has already been output --><p>In the past couple of years, the agency has faced allegations of mismanagement, replaced its executive director, lost its assistant executive director and has completely changed its board member lineup. The management issues centered around a lack of financial controls, misuse of public property, lack of administration of employee benefits and other such issues.</p><p>The agency has, for months now, sought management assistance from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. It couldn't make headway because the agency scored well on its assessments, which -- given the problems illustrated publicly -- hinted at problems, if in no other manner than judgment, further up the HUD food chain. New, much lower scores were received in December - and those, coupled with documentation of problems in need of correction, helped make the case for intervention.</p><p>Persistence seems to have paid off. The Houma agency is being referred to the department's Troubled Agency Recovery Center that provides legal, financial and technical assistance to problem agencies.</p><p>And although it's been a long time coming, this assistance is heartily welcome. The local commission oversees the 300-unit Bayou Towers apartment building for the elderly and handicapped and the 300-unit Senator Circle housing development for low-income families. It could, in the future, impact more residents' lives since legislation last year gave the commission parish-wide jurisdiction, paving the way for it to establish housing facilities outside the city limits. But before that jurisdiction is utilized, the agency must get its house in order.</p><p>Keeping the public abreast of improvements in management of the two housing projects and agency operations would help the agency re-establish credibility in the public's eyes - something needed before any further services are funded with taxpayer dollars and offered to the public.</p>